Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween and Annual Pumpkin Carve

OMG, it's Halloween.  Sort of doesn't feel like Halloween since i had to put away all my outdoor decorations so Sandy didn't destroy them.  There's also a sense of "is Halloween still on?" that everyone's feeling.  Down the shore, where we vacation every summer and have family with property, it's clearly cancelled.  And it's extremely sad and disheartening, the damage shown, but luckily we all fared ok.  Thank goodness.

Before the storm hit, we were able to enjoy our favorite of Halloween traditions, the Great Pumpkin Carve in Chadds Ford.  This year we had a new plan of attack and that plan was geared to avoid car traffic and people traffic.  Granted, the ambiance was lacking a little bit since it was just 5pm and not yet dark, but my nerves were much less frazzled, and S's nerves were much less annoyed by my usual repetitive mutterings about waiting in line when there shouldn't be a line.  (How can there be a line to look at pumpkins?  How can you say how long i need to stand in front of the same one?  I should be able to walk past the ones i'm not enthralled with, and go up and inspect the ones i am!  You don't attend a health fair or a craft show and stand in line!  You approach the tables you're interested in!  This is the same thing!)  Ahem.  I just had to get that off my chest, b/c i get super riled up thinking about it.

We both felt there were less pumpkins than in previous years, but it was still fun, the entrance fee goes to a good cause, and some of the creations were truly unique.  See for yourself!


Let's kick it off with the year so we can document it. This was a littler pumpkin lining the walkway, not one of the ones entered in the contest.  It's hard to tell i guess, but the other pumpkins are those huge ones, and are all locally grown.

Here's how they're all set up, so you can see how big they are, and you can see what i mean about standing in line (grr).


Haven't seen Despicable Me, but i was impressed with the shading and cut outs.


This shell won for Best Use of Pumpkin, and was truly an original idea.


This octopus was actually both of our favorites, and if we had been there on audience voting night, it would have gotten both our tickets.


Isn't this teapot cute?  Never seen that before.


An honorable mention, nevermore.


This felt very Twilight to me, the werewolfy one.


Most original?  Not so sure about that...what to do you think?


The details on the knuckles are crazy good.


Liked the use of pumpkin in this creepy cat.


Loved that the spider is carved out of leftover pumpkin, and S noticed there's a little bee in the web.  (Good. That's where all bees should be.)


Just thought this one was cute.  We all go gaga over pumpkin flavored drinks, and wish they came in a mug that size.


This won Carvers Choice, which is voted by the other carvers....

 
....as opposed to Best Carving which is chosen by the judges.  I don't even know what this is.  I see a Cowboy, but then i see a cowboy boot with spurs...wait, is it a witch?  Is it a witch wearing mittens? I also see Louisiana...or is there secret flame lettering?  Maybe you can't go by me.




Did you have a favorite? Check out the carvings from Octobers past.  And once again, Happy Halloween!

Find me here: before and after party @ thrifty decor chick, you're gonna love it @ kathe with an e, diy showoff, debbie doos, krafty kat, Craftomaniac, Motivate Me Mon @ Keeping it Simple Met Monday, Anything Goes, home stories a-z, Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, be inspired @ elizabeth and co, lil luna, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. sugar and spice @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman, whatever goes weds @ someday crafts, 52 mantles, fall into fall, Transformation Thurs @ The Shabby Creek Cottage, vintage thingy thurs @ the colorado lady, Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple, hooking up @ house of hepworths, open house @ no minimalist here, share awesomeness @ 36th ave, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, feature yourself fri @ Fingerprints on the fridge, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now, Catch as Catch Can @ My Repurposed life, free for all @ 5days5ways, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, my romantic home, , frugalicious friday @ finding fabulous, potpourri @ 2805, thrifty things fri @ the thrifty groove, refresh your nest @ making lemonade, show and tell fri @ my romantic home, shaken together.

Monday, October 22, 2012

The Quotable Kitchen

My sweet coworker friend told me she'd bake me anything i want for my birthday.  Girl loves to cook, and girl's got mad baking skills.  Girl also writes a cooking blog called The Quotable Kitchen, where she taunts me with things i can't make and i get extremely jealous over her boyfriend's blog design genius.  Whatever.  At least this template can support bigger pictures without cutting them off.  I can live with this.

So for my birthday treat, since it's fall, and i looooove the fall, i think i'll need to indulge in something pumpkin.  After checking my pinterest board, it seems there's an inordinate amount of bacon, cheese, and bacon and cheese baked in bread...so i had to look a little harder for something pumpkin.  But i'm taking this mission very seriously.

This was the first choice-it's the salted caramel-ness that screams "make me" but she just made some delicious pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting, and this might be too similar.  Next year, salted caramel, next year.


Pumpkin. Spice. Macaroons. 
Source: bhg.com via Debbie on Pinterest


or, you know....these salted caramel ones won't be turned away.


How 'bout this?  It's isn't pumpkin, but it's definitely fall.


Yep, caramel apple and cheesecake?  Cheese for the win!


Do you have a fave fall dessert?  Which would you pick for your birthday treat?  Go say hi to Chef Kel, and see which one she chose to make!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Wrapped around my fingers

Just saw this on yahoo, and thought it was too interesting not to share.  The artist known as Il Dito, or Dito Von Tease (not to be confused with retro goth gal Dita Von Teese) creates these finger portraits with a little digital assistance.  Here are some of my favorites, but check out the whole article here.

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i pity the fool who don't like my finger!

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i wanna finger paint all ni-igh-ight!

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Some chianti, fava beans, and f-f-f-fingers, Clarice.

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Now, is that Steve Jobs, or Ashton Kutcher's finger playing Steve Jobs.

Aren't those amusing?  Check out the others, and let me know which one you like best.